A rugged right-handed defenseman, "Bad Joe" Hall earned his nickname from his aggressive style of play. While he was hardly known for dropping the gloves, Hall's talent took care of striking fear in the hearts of his opponents.

Born in Staffordshire, England in 1882, Hall moved to Canada with his parents at age two, beginning his hockey career at age 20 when he signed with the Brandon Regals of the Manitoba Senior Hockey League. The following season he joined the ranks of the Winnipeg Rowing Club and participated in the Stanley Cup final against the Ottawa Silver Seven. He turned pro in 1905-06, joining the Portages Lakes - Houghton club of the International Hockey League. In his stunning pro debut, Hall made the leagues First All-Star Team, scored 33 goals in 20 games, and lead the league with 98 penalty minutes.

Upon the formation of the first Canadian professional circuit - National Hockey Association - Hall came east to Montreal, joining the Shamrocks for the 1909-10 season. In 1910-11, he ventured 300 kilometers north, suiting up for the Quebec Bulldogs, where he would remain for seven seasons and two Stanley Cup triumphs.

Although the game of hockey was in its formative era, a Montreal - Quebec rivalry was heated from the very beginning. It was never a rare occasion to witness stitch inducing altercations between Hall and Canadiens' star Newsy Lalonde. With the creation of the NHL in 1917, the Bulldogs dissolved their franchise temporarily, and players were drafted into the remaining clubs. As the Canadiens had always held a keen appreciation of Hall's skills, they were quick to select both he and Joe Malone from Quebec. Old adversaries Lalonde and Hall were now teammates, and would soon become good friends.

In his first campaign with the Habs, Hall registered 15 points and 100 penalty minutes, nearly doubling the total of his nearest rival. Despite his contribution, the Canadiens would miss the 1917-18 playoffs. The Canadiens put it all together the following year, heading west to challenge the Seattle Metropolitans for the Stanley Cup, in what would prove to be a fatal final.

A global Spanish influenza virus had been sweeping the globe in 1919, and it preceded the Habs to west coast. After five games, the final was knotted at two wins and a tie apiece, when several Canadiens, including Hall and Lalonde had to be hospitalized. With players on both sides falling ill, the series was cancelled on April 1, and Hall passed away four days later.